Category: Mindset

Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase “change your habits, change your life.” (It’s also the title of a best-selling book!) As a Charlotte chiropractic clinic who has worked with hundreds of patients to help them transform their health and life through positive habits, we can attest to this statement being true.

But as another popular saying goes, “old habits die hard.” Because we realize that it can be difficult for many people to make big changes (especially multiple changes all at one time), we’re giving you some easy, fast, and practical new habits that you can implement right away and watch your life transform! (In the corporate world, they call these “quick wins”.)

Habit 1: Read (or listen to) one new book each month.

If you don’t like to read, audio books are a great solution. Choose a title that will develop a positive mindset, build your confidence, and steer you toward achieving your life and business goals.

Habit 2: Drink a tall glass of water first thing in the morning.

Staying hydrated is essential to maintaining your health, and drinking a tall (16 oz.) glass of water first thing in the morning improves hydration and helps with weight loss. Just remember to drink at least 4 more of those tall glasses throughout the day, and you’ll notice a positive difference in how you feel!

Habit 3: Set your alarm 30 minutes earlier.

And don’t hit the snooze button, as tempting as it may be! Getting up earlier will improve your productivity. Spend those 30 minutes doing something you normally wouldn’t do for lack of time, such as reading, meditating, or exercising. Now you’ll have no excuses NOT to get that workout in.

Habit 4: Compliment yourself.

This may sound silly, but words of affirmation can be life-changing. Rather than relying on other people to affirm you, as many people do, you can get into the daily habit of affirming yourself. It’s as simple as waking up, going into the bathroom in the morning, standing in front of your mirror, and telling yourself how awesome you are. Watch this video for some inspiration. 😉

Habit 5: Focus on one thing at a time.

Remember when orange was the new black? Now, it’s multitasking. And according to recent research, it’s killing our productivity. Rather than trying to do many different things at once, try focusing on just one thing at a time and watch your efficiency and productivity go through the roof!

Habit 6: Smile.

Smile at yourself in front of the mirror. Smile at the barista when you buy your morning coffee. Smile at your neighbor while you’re on your morning run. Smile at your coworkers when you walk into work. You’d be surprised how this small change can positively transform your entire day. Not only that, it’s contagious! Your happiness will radiate out toward and through you, right into the people you come in contact with.

Habit 7: Get organized.

This isn’t necessarily a daily habit. It can be something you do all at once and repeat every month, every quarter, or as often as you need. Think about how much more difficult it is to get things done when your workspace is cluttered. A neat, organized environment will reduce stress and improve your productivity by a mile. If organization is not your strong suit, you can hire a personal assistant to do it for you.

In case you missed the previous 2 announcements, we’re celebrating 12 Days of Christmas, Queen City Health Center-style! We’d like to challenge all of our patients, friends, and family members to commit to making one thoughtful health change for the next 12 days. We are confident you’ll notice a difference in the way you feel!

Day 3: Take a few minutes to exercise forgiveness toward someone who has wronged you.

Try writing a letter, speaking it out loud, or calling the person to ask for their forgiveness.

Humans are made up of three parts: mind, body, and spirit. Often times we ignore the importance of our spiritual health. This season is the perfect time to experience freedom in your mind and spirit and share that freedom with others.

Forgiveness is not an easy thing; in fact, it’s much easier said than done. Forgiving someone who has hurt you takes strength, patience, and practice. At some point in our lives, we all come to a crossroads where we need to decide if we should forgive the person who wronged us or to let them go.

Sometimes it’s not another person that we need to forgive. Instead, it’s ourselves that we need to forgive for the mistakes we’ve made. There is never a right or wrong answer, and it is a personal decision. If you choose to forgive, it may not have been the same choice that your friend or family member has made and that’s okay, because this is your life, not theirs. The most important thing you must know is that forgiveness is a CHOICE. When you choose to forgive, you have made a decision in your heart that you desire to break free from anger against another person.

If you’re not sure how to forgive, or where to start, here are tips and points of inspiration:

1.) Know that forgiveness doesn’t mean that you are validating that what hurt you is okay.

First of all, when you forgive, know that it does not mean that you are fine with what happened. Forgiveness is choosing to accept what happened and making a choice to move forward in your life. It is the first step toward self-healing.

2.) Let go of the past.

When you make a decision to forgive, you are making a commitment to let go of the past. It doesn’t mean that it will be forgotten; it means that you are cutting ties with it. No more bringing up the past to your significant other, your friend, or yourself who did you wrong. No more blaming, pointing fingers, or fighting. It is over with. Finité! What’s done is done. You can’t change the past, so why hold onto it? Self-healers choose to learn from the past and let it go.

3.) Choose love.

Start a clean slate with the person you are forgiving. If you feel bottled up resentment that is seconds away from spewing out of you, keep making steps daily toward releasing those feelings. Forgiveness can be a daily act or walk; it’s like weight training—at first you can’t lift the 50lbs, but you can lift 10lbs so start there. You may not be able to call and forgive someone on the phone, but out loud in this moment, you can say “I forgive so and so for xyz.” To forgive is to take those heavy bricks off your back and stop walking on eggshells. It requires moving forward knowing that you are being the bigger person and choosing love over hate.

4.) Find inner peace.

This step will probably be the most difficult. Even if you have chosen forgiveness and are willing to let go of the past, it is extremely hard to move forward in life as if everything is back to normal. You need to find inner peace. This can be done in many ways. My advice: Focus on yourself and bettering yourself as a person. Even though you weren’t at fault, focusing on yourself will create positive energy. Focusing your energy on yourself instead of hate is much more peaceful and gratifying.

Forgiveness is a choice. You are not a doormat for choosing to forgive. You are not an idiot for giving that person a second chance. You are strong and have a big heart, which is something to be extremely proud of. You were not at fault. You have chosen love over hate. You have the ability to experience freedom and healing today in this holiday season. Be bold and courageous!

Queen City Health Center is a Charlotte Chiropractic and total wellness center for individuals and families. With locations across Charlotte, NC and Matthews, NC, we specialize in helping individuals and families find true health and ways to maximize their lives through nutrition, lifestyle classes, detoxification and spinal correction.